Chapter 3

And finally, as it is not enough, before commencing to rebuild the house in which
we live, that it be pulled down, and materials and builders provided, or that
we engage in the work ourselves, according to a plan which we have beforehand
carefully drawn out, but as it is likewise necessary that we be furnished with
some other house in which we may live commodiously during the operations, so that
I might not remain irresolute in my actions, while my reason compelled me to suspend
my judgement, and that I might not be prevented from living thenceforward in the
greatest possible felicity, I formed a provisory code of morals, composed of three
or four maxims, with which I am desirous to make you acquainted.

The first was to obey the laws and customs of my country, adhering firmly to
the faith in which, by the grace of God, I had been educated from my childhood
and regulating my conduct in every other matter according to the most moderate
opinions, and the farthest removed from extremes, which should happen to be
adopted in practice with general consent of the most judicious of those among
whom I might be living. For as I had from that time begun to hold my own opinions
for nought because I wished to subject them all to examination, I was convinced
that I could not do better than follow in the meantime the opinions of the most
judicious; and although there are some perhaps among the Persians and Chinese
as judicious as among ourselves, expediency seemed to dictate that I should
regulate my practice conformably to the opinions of those with whom I should
have to live; and it appeared to me that, in order to ascertain the real opinions
of such, I ought rather to take cognizance of what they practised than of what
they said, not only because, in the corruption of our manners, there are few
disposed to speak exactly as they believe, but also because very many are not
aware of what it is that they really believe; for, as the act of mind by which
a thing is believed is different from that by which we know that we believe
it, the one act is often found without the other. Also, amid many opinions held
in equal repute, I chose always the most moderate, as much for the reason that
these are always the most convenient for practice, and probably the best (for
all excess is generally vicious), as that, in the event of my falling into error,
I might be at less distance from the truth than if, having chosen one of the
extremes, it should turn out to be the other which I ought to have adopted.
And I placed in the class of extremes especially all promises by which somewhat
of our freedom is abridged; not that I disapproved of the laws which, to provide
against the instability of men of feeble resolution, when what is sought to
be accomplished is some good, permit engagements by vows and contracts binding
the parties to persevere in it, or even, for the security of commerce, sanction
similar engagements where the purpose sought to be realized is indifferent:
but because I did not find anything on earth which was wholly superior to change,
and because, for myself in particular, I hoped gradually to perfect my judgments,
and not to suffer them to deteriorate, I would have deemed it a grave sin against
good sense, if, for the reason that I approved of something at a particular
time, I therefore bound myself to hold it for good at a subsequent time, when
perhaps it had ceased to be so, or I had ceased to esteem it such.

My second maxim was to be as firm and resolute in my actions as I was able,
and not to adhere less steadfastly to the most doubtful opinions, when once
adopted, than if they had been highly certain; imitating in this the example
of travelers who, when they have lost their way in a forest, ought not to wander
from side to side, far less remain in one place, but proceed constantly towards
the same side in as straight a line as possible, without changing their direction
for slight reasons, although perhaps it might be chance alone which at first
determined the selection; for in this way, if they do not exactly reach the
point they desire, they will come at least in the end to some place that will
probably be preferable to the middle of a forest. In the same way, since in
action it frequently happens that no delay is permissible, it is very certain
that, when it is not in our power to determine what is true, we ought to act
according to what is most probable; and even although we should not remark a
greater probability in one opinion than in another, we ought notwithstanding
to choose one or the other, and afterwards consider it, in so far as it relates
to practice, as no longer dubious, but manifestly true and certain, since the
reason by which our choice has been determined is itself possessed of these
qualities. This principle was sufficient thenceforward to rid me of all those
repentings and pangs of remorse that usually disturb the consciences of such
feeble and uncertain minds as, destitute of any clear and determinate principle
of choice, allow themselves one day to adopt a course of action as the best,
which they abandon the next, as the opposite.

My third maxim was to endeavor always to conquer myself rather than fortune,
and change my desires rather than the order of the world, and in general, accustom
myself to the persuasion that, except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely
in our power; so that when we have done our best in things external to us, all
wherein we fail of success is to be held, as regards us, absolutely impossible:
and this single principle seemed to me sufficient to prevent me from desiring
for the future anything which I could not obtain, and thus render me contented;
for since our will naturally seeks those objects alone which the understanding
represents as in some way possible of attainment, it is plain, that if we consider
all external goods as equally beyond our power, we shall no more regret the
absence of such goods as seem due to our birth, when deprived of them without
any fault of ours, than our not possessing the kingdoms of China or Mexico,
and thus making, so to speak, a virtue of necessity, we shall no more desire
health in disease, or freedom in imprisonment, than we now do bodies incorruptible
as diamonds, or the wings of birds to fly with. But I confess there is need
of prolonged discipline and frequently repeated meditation to accustom the mind
to view all objects in this light; and I believe that in this chiefly consisted
the secret of the power of such philosophers as in former times were enabled
to rise superior to the influence of fortune, and, amid suffering and poverty,
enjoy a happiness which their gods might have envied. For, occupied incessantly
with the consideration of the limits prescribed to their power by nature, they
became so entirely convinced that nothing was at their disposal except their
own thoughts, that this conviction was of itself sufficient to prevent their
entertaining any desire of other objects; and over their thoughts they acquired
a sway so absolute, that they had some ground on this account for esteeming
themselves more rich and more powerful, more free and more happy, than other
men who, whatever be the favors heaped on them by nature and fortune, if destitute
of this philosophy, can never command the realization of all their desires.

In fine, to conclude this code of morals, I thought of reviewing the different
occupations of men in this life, with the view of making choice of the best.
And, without wishing to offer any remarks on the employments of others, I may
state that it was my conviction that I could not do better than continue in
that in which I was engaged, viz., in devoting my whole life to the culture
of my reason, and in making the greatest progress I was able in the knowledge
of truth, on the principles of the method which I had prescribed to myself.
This method, from the time I had begun to apply it, had been to me the source
of satisfaction so intense as to lead me to, believe that more perfect or more
innocent could not be enjoyed in this life; and as by its means I daily discovered
truths that appeared to me of some importance, and of which other men were generally
ignorant, the gratification thence arising so occupied my mind that I was wholly
indifferent to every other object. Besides, the three preceding maxims were
founded singly on the design of continuing the work of self- instruction. For
since God has endowed each of us with some light of reason by which to distinguish
truth from error, I could not have believed that I ought for a single moment
to rest satisfied with the opinions of another, unless I had resolved to exercise
my own judgment in examining these whenever I should be duly qualified for the
task. Nor could I have proceeded on such opinions without scruple, had I supposed
that I should thereby forfeit any advantage for attaining still more accurate,
should such exist. And, in fine, I could not have restrained my desires, nor
remained satisfied had I not followed a path in which I thought myself certain
of attaining all the knowledge to the acquisition of which I was competent,
as well as the largest amount of what is truly good which I could ever hope
to secure Inasmuch as we neither seek nor shun any object except in so far as
our understanding represents it as good or bad, all that is necessary to right
action is right judgment, and to the best action the most correct judgment,
that is, to the acquisition of all the virtues with all else that is truly valuable
and within our reach; and the assurance of such an acquisition cannot fail to
render us contented.

Having thus provided myself with these maxims, and having placed them in reserve
along with the truths of faith, which have ever occupied the first place in
my belief, I came to the conclusion that I might with freedom set about ridding
myself of what remained of my opinions. And, inasmuch as I hoped to be better
able successfully to accomplish this work by holding intercourse with mankind,
than by remaining longer shut up in the retirement where these thoughts had
occurred to me, I betook me again to traveling before the winter was well ended.
And, during the nine subsequent years, I did nothing but roam from one place
to another, desirous of being a spectator rather than an actor in the plays
exhibited on the theater of the world; and, as I made it my business in each
matter to reflect particularly upon what might fairly be doubted and prove a
source of error, I gradually rooted out from my mind all the errors which had
hitherto crept into it. Not that in this I imitated the sceptics who doubt only
that they may doubt, and seek nothing beyond uncertainty itself; for, on the
contrary, my design was singly to find ground of assurance, and cast aside the
loose earth and sand, that I might reach the rock or the clay. In this, as appears
to me, I was successful enough; for, since I endeavored to discover the falsehood
or incertitude of the propositions I examined, not by feeble conjectures, but
by clear and certain reasonings, I met with nothing so doubtful as not to yield
some conclusion of adequate certainty, although this were merely the inference,
that the matter in question contained nothing certain. And, just as in pulling
down an old house, we usually reserve the ruins to contribute towards the erection,
so, in destroying such of my opinions as I judged to be Ill-founded, I made
a variety of observations and acquired an amount of experience of which I availed
myself in the establishment of more certain. And further, I continued to exercise
myself in the method I had prescribed; for, besides taking care in general to
conduct all my thoughts according to its rules, I reserved some hours from time
to time which I expressly devoted to the employment of the method in the solution
of mathematical difficulties, or even in the solution likewise of some questions
belonging to other sciences, but which, by my having detached them from such
principles of these sciences as were of inadequate certainty, were rendered
almost mathematical: the truth of this will be manifest from the numerous examples
contained in this volume. And thus, without in appearance living otherwise than
those who, with no other occupation than that of spending their lives agreeably
and innocently, study to sever pleasure from vice, and who, that they may enjoy
their leisure without ennui, have recourse to such pursuits as are honorable,
I was nevertheless prosecuting my design, and making greater progress in the
knowledge of truth, than I might, perhaps, have made had I been engaged in the
perusal of books merely, or in holding converse with men of letters.

These nine years passed away, however, before I had come to any determinate
judgment respecting the difficulties which form matter of dispute among the
learned, or had commenced to seek the principles of any philosophy more certain
than the vulgar. And the examples of many men of the highest genius, who had,
in former times, engaged in this inquiry, but, as appeared to me, without success,
led me to imagine it to be a work of so much difficulty, that I would not perhaps
have ventured on it so soon had I not heard it currently rumored that I had
already completed the inquiry. I know not what were the grounds of this opinion;
and, if my conversation contributed in any measure to its rise, this must have
happened rather from my having confessed my Ignorance with greater freedom than
those are accustomed to do who have studied a little, and expounded perhaps,
the reasons that led me to doubt of many of those things that by others are
esteemed certain, than from my having boasted of any system of philosophy. But,
as I am of a disposition that makes me unwilling to be esteemed different from
what I really am, I thought it necessary to endeavor by all means to render
myself worthy of the reputation accorded to me; and it is now exactly eight
years since this desire constrained me to remove from all those places where
interruption from any of my acquaintances was possible, and betake myself to
this country, in which the long duration of the war has led to the establishment
of such discipline, that the armies maintained seem to be of use only in enabling
the inhabitants to enjoy more securely the blessings of peace and where, in
the midst of a great crowd actively engaged in business, and more careful of
their own affairs than curious about those of others, I have been enabled to
live without being deprived of any of the conveniences to be had in the most
populous cities, and yet as solitary and as retired as in the midst of the most
remote deserts.